What are the classics every rock band simply must be able to play?

Chicago Tribune ^ | June 21st, 2018 | Randy Blaser

[Mariner]

I have a theory about rock ’n’ roll bands that I haven’t really expressed to many people, but I will offer it here.

I think any rock ’n’ roll band that wants to consider itself serious needs to be able to competently perform a certain set of standard rock songs. If they can’t play these songs, they should just stop the music and get day jobs.

I’m talking about classic songs that are basic to the genre.

Let me explain.

Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi were not blues musicians. However, they knew enough about music to know any band worth its salt had to be able to perform certain standards at any time.

Thus The Blues Brothers were born. The idea led to a hit album called “Briefcase Full of Blues,” which contained the standards, and a hit movie. The song “Soul Man,” was immortalized thanks to The Blues Brothers.

So it should be with any competent rock band. If you want to be good, if you want to entertain, there are certain basics which must be mastered.

But which songs are the songs that must be part of any competent band’s repertoire.

[Iscool]

Wipe Out
Birthday (Beatles)
Cocaine (Clapton)
Me and Bobby McGee
Old Time Rock and Roll
MaMa Told Me Not To Come (Three Dog Night)
Any or all of the songs by CCR...

[dfwgator]

Ace of Spades

[a fool in paradise]

MUSTANG SALLY

---

Sir Mack Rice (the original)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E6CQ8DRWGN4

Silver Apples
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w4mbYt8o4j8

The Feminine Complex
JAGUAR JIMMY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0I01MkCAQNk

[huckleberry55]

THE NATIONAL ANTHEM
THE STAR SPANGLE BANNER
BATTLE HYMN OF THE REPUBLIC
AMAZING GRACE

[txnativegop]

“Wipe Out”

Johnny B. Good

Life in the Fast Lane

Bad Company (the song)

Freebird

Hush

Smoke on the Water

No Quarter

Ironman

[rockrr]

The bands I played in where we featured music like those on your list were the bands I remember most fondly.

And the ones where we had the best audience connection.

I’ve drifted more towards bluegrass these last few years but still like rocking out.

[txnativegop]

that is a wonderful cover, IMO

[a fool in paradise]

WISH YOU WERE HERE???
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jj7pDNDuoJ0

And here they tackle Eric Clapton COCAINE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xYk3lEb_fe4

[Lee Enfield]

Johnny B. Goode
I Fought the Law
My Generation
Smoke on the Water
Revolution

[a fool in paradise]

Culture is dead.

Music (jazz, country, et al, not just rock)
Art
Movies
Literature
Debate

[Billthedrill]

For me, The Yes Album - I didn't become aware of Banks' work until much later. Take a look at Howe last year - like I said, we're gittin' old. Chris Squire passed away and they filled in his part in THIS ONE with a bass player nobody's ever heard of, fella from Rush named Geddy Lee. Note perfect, too.

[CharlesMartelsGhost]

Kingbee- Slim Harpo
Stairway to Heaven- Led Zepplin
Roll over Beethoven- Chuck Barry
Flirtin with Disaster- Molly Hatchet
Cowboy Song- Thin Lizzy
The Boys Are Back in Town- Thin Lizzy
Highway to Hell- AC/DC

[a fool in paradise]

HIGHWAY TO HELL
(Wing)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kr3iYamSxxI

BACK IN BLACK
(Luna Lee)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OEpVDafY6Z8

[castlebrew]

Spoonful

Trouble No More (Allman Brothers version)

Got My Mojo Workin'

Locomotive Breath

Smoke on the Water

Louie Louie

Ironman

Money for Nothing

Bad to the Bone

Ride on Josephine

(and that's not just because I'm picking most of those up at Uncle Mark's Cigar Box Guitar Lessons)

[CharlesMartelsGhost]

Sweet Home Alabama- Lynard Skynard

Tom Sawyer- Rush

Enter Sandman- Metallica

Okie Dokie Stomp- Clarence Gatemouth Brown

[yawningotter]

Nobody could play Little Wing like SRV.

[FlingWingFlyer]

I played in a “garage band” back in the 60s. That was one of my favorite songs. Fun to play and fun to sing.

[snarkpup]

There are some unusual bands that seem to be drawn to "When the Levee Breaks." E.g., there's Dread Zeppelin doing the Elvis reggae version, Yat-Kha doing the Tuvan throat-singing version, and Kristin Hersh doing the Kristin Hersh version.

[grey_whiskers]

There’s something refreshing about Portnoy’s attitude, he genuinely enjoys playing, and feeding off of the other band members’ energy.
It is a sign of the consumate professional musician that they improvise through mishaps. I once heard that Larry Carlton had a string break in the middle of the set. To the audiences apprehensive gasps, he pulled out a — WIRE CUTTER — snipped off two MORE strings, and delivered a blistering ad lib solo until the roadies could get another guitar ready.
Rumor, but I believe it.

[Viking2002]

First song I ever learned on my Hondo Les Paul knockoff. I used to riff with it with a copy of Machine Head I had. On vinyl.